Rotary engine.



Patented July 31, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

LB. HAGER. ROTARY ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 17, 19w.

1,235,201. Patented 31,. 1

REET 2.

JAMES B. HAGIER, OF GOULD, OKLAHOMA.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 31, 1917.

Application filed. February 17, 1916. Serial No. 78,937.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES B. HAGER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Gould, in the county of Harmon, State of Oklahoma, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to rotary engines, and aims primarily to providea device of such construction that the greatest amount of power maybederived from the amount of pressure used.

A further object of the invention is to provide in an engine employing arotor having piston walls, improved means for directing a stream offluid pressure against a plurality of the pistons carried by said rotorsimultaneously.

A still further object of the invention is to provide in a. device ofthe class described, improved means for selectively driving the rotor inopposite directions.

A still further and particular object of the invention is to provide arotary enginewhich is of comparatively simple construction, which iscomposed of relatively few readily assembled parts, which is soconstructed asto preclude the possibility of breakage or derangement ofthe various parts, which may be installed and maintained at relativelylow cost, and which will prove thoroughly eflicient for the purposes forwhich it is designed.

A further feature of advantage is the con struction of a rotary engineso arranged as to obviate the possibility of the occurrence of deadcenters, and which is characterized by the absence of back pressure,eccentrics, multiplicity of valve arrangements, and other complicatedmechanisms common to devices of a similar character.

With these objects in view together with others which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the novel combination andarrangement of parts all as will be described more fully hereinafter,illustrated in the accompanying drawings and particularly pointed out inthe claim.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure 1, is a side elevation of an engine ponstructed in accordancewith my invenion,

Fig. 2, is an end view thereof,

Fig. 3, is a vertical sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4, is a similar View taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5, is an edge view of the improved rotor removed from the casing,

Fig. 6, is a fragmentary perspective View illustrating a portion of theengine casing and steam chest,

Fig. 7, is a fragmentary detail perspective of a portion of the rotor,and

Fig. 8, is a vertical sectional view on the same line as that of Fig. 3,showing the position of the rotor when under full pressure of thepropelling fluid.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, 9 indicates acylindrical casing, which is mounted upon a suitable base or support 10by legs 11. This casing may be formed of substantially semi-circularsections 12 and 13, the ends of the said sections being preferablyarranged out of horizontal alinement, and are flanged as at 1A to permitof the sections being secured together by means of suitable bolts 15.The casing when properly assembled forms a central orifice, throughwhich a shaft 16, supporting a rotor 17 projects, arms 18 extend fromvarious points in the sides of the said casing to support the saidshaft. The uppermost section of the casing is provided with a pressurechest 19, to which is directed steam or other fluid pressure through apipe 20 leading from a suitable source of supply.

The rotor which I employ in attaining the objects of the inventioncomprises a r0- tatable member 17 which is mounted for rotary movementwithin the said casing, and is supported upon the shaft 16 as shown. Toutilize the fluid pressure as a means for propelling the rotor, thelatter is provided at various points throughout its circumference withpockets 22. These pockets may be formed by providing a wall extendingsub stantially radially inwardly from the periphery of the said rotor, achannel 23 being formed in the periphery of the rotor to com municatewith the lowermost portion of the wall, and to connect the same by itslowermost edge with the periphery of the said rotor at a point remotefrom the wall. These walls form the piston faces of the rotor, andextend slightly forwardly of the rotor to provide a relatively sharpangle at the base of the pocket to enable the fluid pressure to obtainsufficient purchase within the pocket. I preferably arrange three ofthese piston faces in the periphery of the rotor, each being spaced anequal distance apart. However, it is to be understood that the number,size, and depth of the piston faces or pockets may be varied. Theoutermost faces of the rotor contact with the casing as shown at 21-,and spring pressed packing members 25 may be arranged in the saidoutermost surface to extend transversely thereof to prevent the escapeof the fluid pressure beyond the same.

In order that the rotor may with facility and convenience be driven in areverse direction within the casing, the said rotor is arranged in itsouter periphery to provide separate peripheral faces, expansible annularpacking rings 26 being seated in suitable channels in the periphery ofthe rotor, one adjacent each end thereof, and one intermediate the ends,the former to prevent the escape of fluid pressure beyond the ends ofsaid rotor, and the latte to prevent the escape of pressure from oneperipheral face to the other. The chanels 23, as wellas the piston facesin the peripheral faces of the rotor are oppositely disposed, and it isapparent that when full pressure is directed into the pockets formed inone of the peripheral faces, the said rotor will be driven in thedirection of the inclination of its piston faces. The application ofpressure to the opposite peripheral face will drive the rotor in anopposite direction, as is ol vious. A valve 27 may be arranged in thepipe 20 to control the flow of fluid pressure to the chest 19, and thisvalve may be of such construction that the fluid may be directed intoeither compartment formed'in the said chest by the partition 28.

In order that the pressure may be delivered to the rotor, ports 29 arelocated in the bottom wall of the chest, one communicating with each ofthe peripheral faces of the rotor, and the said ports being preferablyinclined at such angle as to project a stream of fluid angularly andforwardly against the piston faces with whichit communicates. A duct 30communicates with each end of the chest 19 to extend around theperiphery of the casing substantially half way, one of said ducts beingarranged over each of the peripheral faces, and the same duct-sextending in the direction of inclination of the piston faces which itoverlies. Each of the ducts 30 communicate with the interior of thecasing at a point 30 spaced from the port 29 a distance substan tiallyequal to the distance between one of the walls forming a piston head.and the bc ginning of the channel 23 in advance thereof, and the saidducts are open to the interior of the casing for the remainder of theirforward extent. Upon reference to Fig. 2 of the drawing, it will be seenthat each duct 30 is of substantially a width equal to that of theunderlying peripheral face up to the point 30, and is narrowed for theremainder of its extent. It is also to be observed that the narrowedextent of the duct forms a channel and is in comunication with theinterior of the casing, and drain cocks 31 may be arranged in said ductsat their lowermost points. It will thus be seen that each socketcontinues to receive steam pres sure from the channel to make up forcondensation as long as it moves past said chan nel. To carry 05 thefluid after it has been utilized to drive the rotor, exhaust pipes arearranged at opposite points in the rotor casing, one of said pipescommunicating with each 'of the peripheral faces of the rotor.

Upon reference particularly to Fig. 3 of the drawing, it will be seenthat upon the introduction of steam or air pressure to the chest 19, thesaid pressure will at once he directed through the port 29 into thepocket 22 in angular direction to engage the inclined wall thereof, andsimultaneously the pressure will be forced through the duct 30 at thepoint 30 to be delivered against the next adjacent piston face inadvance of the first mentioned pocket. It is also apparent that thepressure will continue beyond the last named piston faces through the restricted channel of the duct 30 to be delivered to the other pocket inthe lowermost point of the rotor casing. It is thus apparent that thefluid pressure delivered to the chest 19 will be utilized to operatesimultaneously upon each of the piston faces arranged on the rotor,whereby the greatest possible amount of power will be derived from thepressure expended. When the rotor has been moved from its initialposition to such point that the inclined wall of the pocket is adjacentthe point 80, the pressure delivered at such point will engage withinthe pocket to accelerate the movement of the rotor. As the pocketsarrive successively at the point of connection of the exhaust pipe 32,the dead pressure within the same will be expelled through the saidpipe. By restricting the duct 30 throughout the major portion of itsextent, it is apparent that the pressure within the same will bepermitted to escape beyond the spring pressed packing members 25 forintroduction to the pockets beyond the same. It is also apparent thatthe packing rings 26 will prevent the escape of the fluid element beyond the ends of the rotor, and from one of the peripheral faces to theother. When it is desired to drive the rotor in a reverse direction, thevalve 27 may be operated to cut off the supply from the above mentionedportion of the chest 19, to direct the flow of fiuid into the oppositecompartment, Whereupon an operation similar to that above described willbe carried out in reverse order.

A conventional form of governor 38 is illustrated and it is to beunderstood that the same may be connected to regulate or control theamount of fluid pressure admitted to the chest 19. By the use of adevice constructed in accordance with the above description, it is seenthat the objects of the invention may be adequately and effectivelyattained, and While the present disclosure is that of the preferredembodiment of the invention, it is apparent that the same is susceptibleto various changes in the minor details of construction, and I reserveto myself the right to make such changes as I may see fit withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope of theclaim.

I claim:

A rotary engine including a casing having a channel extending around oneside thereof and open to said casing throughout its extent, a chesthaving a port opening into said casing and a second port opening intosaid channel the channel and first port being in spaced relation and arotor mounted in said casing and having pockets therein, the spacing ofthe pockets and length of the channel being such that two of the pocketsmay communicate with said channel at once, the spacing of the first portfrom the channel being such that each pocket receives a charge of fluidunder pressure from the chest prior to its moving to position tocommunicate With the channel.

In testimony whereof, affix my signature,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

